Prompt: How can students use Google Docs to collaborate on a group research paper with cognitive democracy? Background Kiniry and Rose (1990) considered as a fundamental issue, the high percentage of college students who enter community colleges or enroll at 4 year schools, and have trouble with critical strategies, variously labeled as critical thinking, or academic discourse, or higher order thinking. They claimed that, when students had to compare two theories, analyze a text, or argue for or against some position, they found it difficult to: (a) generate concise definitions or summarize scholarly discussions, (b) detail procedures, (c) explain methods, and/or (d) evaluate taxonomy.
Although some had labeled these skills as the new basics, Kiniry and Rose (1990) had asserted that they were, in fact, very sophisticated cognitive/rhetorical activities, which involved the complex interplay of thinking and writing. One way to exploit the technology that Caverly et al. (2009) maintained was embedded in students’ academic lives, is to use computer mediated discourse (CMD) to promote deep learning and enhance the development of students’ metacognitive skills (i.e., the development of skills for thinking about one’s use, control, and monitoring of one’s own thinking). Although people do this every day in regard to everyday activities, it is a far more sophisticated activity in the academic context, and it requires maintained instruction and practice for students to master. In the view of the Developmentalists, learning takes place as a normal part of cognitive development. Flavell (1979, as cited in Stewart et al., 2007) stated that the role of metacognition is important to “communication, reading comprehension, language acquisition, social cognition, attention, self-control, memory, self-instruction, writing, problem solving, and personality development.” Everson and Tobias (2001, as cited in Stewart et al., 2007) reported a metacognitive difference between effective learners and ineffective learners. Also, Stewart et al. reported that students with higher metacognitive skills outperformed students with lower metacognitive skills.
MODULE 2
Problem Students are flunking or dropping out of community and 4-year colleges due to skill deficiencies in critical-reading/-thinking skills, which are necessary for the successful academic participation in college life.
Logistics Unit Title: Critical Analysis Skills for College Grade Level: 12th Duration: 5 weeks (Online) Goals State of New York Academic Standard: English Language Arts, Standard 3
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will present, in oral and written language and from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information and issues.
Outline
Lesson A
Introduction to critical analysis skills
Lesson B
Writing effective paragraphs
Lesson C
Editing and draft revisions
Prerequisite Skills: Score 70% or above on NYS English Regents Exam; Basic Internet skills.
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION & CURRICULUM (EDUC7106):
Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Project
MODULE 1
Prompt: How can students use Google Docs to collaborate on a group research paper with cognitive democracy?Background
Kiniry and Rose (1990) considered as a fundamental issue, the high percentage of college students who enter community colleges or enroll at 4 year schools, and have trouble with critical strategies, variously labeled as critical thinking, or academic discourse, or higher order thinking. They claimed that, when students had to compare two theories, analyze a text, or argue for or against some position, they found it difficult to: (a) generate concise definitions or summarize scholarly discussions, (b) detail procedures, (c) explain methods, and/or (d) evaluate taxonomy.
Although some had labeled these skills as the new basics, Kiniry and Rose (1990) had asserted that they were, in fact, very sophisticated cognitive/rhetorical activities, which involved the complex interplay of thinking and writing. One way to exploit the technology that Caverly et al. (2009) maintained was embedded in students’ academic lives, is to use computer mediated discourse (CMD) to promote deep learning and enhance the development of students’ metacognitive skills (i.e., the development of skills for thinking about one’s use, control, and monitoring of one’s own thinking). Although people do this every day in regard to everyday activities, it is a far more sophisticated activity in the academic context, and it requires maintained instruction and practice for students to master. In the view of the Developmentalists, learning takes place as a normal part of cognitive development. Flavell (1979, as cited in Stewart et al., 2007) stated that the role of metacognition is important to “communication, reading comprehension, language acquisition, social cognition, attention, self-control, memory, self-instruction, writing, problem solving, and personality development.” Everson and Tobias (2001, as cited in Stewart et al., 2007) reported a metacognitive difference between effective learners and ineffective learners. Also, Stewart et al. reported that students with higher metacognitive skills outperformed students with lower metacognitive skills.
MODULE 2
Problem Students are flunking or dropping out of community and 4-year colleges due to skill deficiencies in critical-reading/-thinking skills, which are necessary for the successful academic participation in college life.Logistics
Unit Title: Critical Analysis Skills for College
Grade Level: 12th
Duration: 5 weeks (Online)
Goals State of New York Academic Standard: English Language Arts, Standard 3
- Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
- As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will present, in oral and written language and from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information and issues.
Outline